Who Was Bill Anders?

A famous astronaut, yes, but his triumph at NASA was only the beginning of a life of achievement.

Bill Anders traveled all the way to the moon—on Apollo 8 in December 1968—but his journey through space never dimmed his desire to explore Earth. Sadly, Anders died on June 7, at age 90, and up until the very end, he was a private pilot who enjoyed taking aerial tours of the scenic landscape that is coastal Washington.

Major General William A. Anders was no stranger to the National Air and Space Museum. Last year, we awarded him our annual Michael Collins Trophy for Lifetime Achievement. In addition to being an astronaut, Anders had a long career in the U.S. Air Force before succeeding in private industry, including his time at General Dynamics, where he was chairman and CEO.

Anders was also a longtime friend of Bob Craddock, who is a geologist at the Museum’s Center for Earth and Planetary Studies. After Anders’ passing, Craddock wrote a tribute that is published on the Museum’s website. “He was one of my heroes growing up, and I’m lucky to have known him personally,” writes Craddock. “I got to know Bill and his wife Valerie through the support they’ve given to the Smithsonian over the years.” Craddock goes on to describe Anders as:  “Here was this tough guy who brought back Earthrise—one of the most beautiful images in the history of mankind—showing us how delicate the Earth is. Bill was also thoughtful, loving, generous, intelligent, engaging, and sensitive. He wouldn’t say he was a hero for flying to the moon. To him, it was the guys fighting in Vietnam at the time.”

In 1996, Anders founded the Heritage Flight Museum, now based in Burlington, Washington. Last year, he gave me a tour of the museum, which has a well-rounded collection of aircraft. Considering all that Anders accomplished, I was struck by his humbleness. The highlight of my visit was a flight in a Beechcraft T-34 flown by Anders’ son, Greg, while Anders flew alongside us in his own T-34. It was a beautiful day, and the superb visibility from the T-34’s cockpit enabled me to take in the splendor of the Pacific Northwest below. At that moment, I understood why Anders never wanted to retire from flying.

Christopher U. Browne is the John and Adrienne Mars Director of the National Air and Space Museum.

This article is from the Fall 2024 issue of Air & Space Quarterly, the National Air and Space Museum's signature magazine that explores topics in aviation and space, from the earliest moments of flight to today. Explore the full issue.

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